The devastating fire at a shopping plaza in Karachi has claimed the lives of over 61 individuals, with the latest discovery of 30 bodies raising alarm. Officials fear that the death toll could surpass 100.
Located in Gul Shopping Plaza within Karachi's bustling Saddar district, the fire started in the basement on the night of January 17th. Serving as both a wholesale and retail hub, the flames rapidly engulfed the entire building, only being contained after a grueling 36-hour battle.
Trapped Shoppers Barricaded from Within
Asad Raza, DIG of Karachi South, reported that 30 bodies were retrieved from a store named 'Dubai Crockery' on the mezzanine floor. It is believed that vendors and shoppers, in a desperate bid to escape the ensuing blaze, locked the shutters, inadvertently trapping themselves inside.
Source: aajtak
Earlier that day, three more bodies were found, increasing the tally from 28 to 31. Confirmation from recovered mobile phones indicates these victims had been on the mezzanine floor since Saturday night.
Identification Poses a Daunting Challenge
Amidst recovering the bodies, debris removal and search operations on other floors have been temporarily halted. Police Surgeon Dr. Sumaiya Syed noted that 21 of the bodies received were severely charred, making identification a daunting task.
List of 73 Missing Released
The Sindh government has formed an inquiry committee, led by Karachi Commissioner Syed Hasan Naqvi, who inspected the scene and spoke to the media. He emphasized the lack of fire safety measures aligned with international standards in the building.
Authorities have already released a list of 73 missing individuals, including women, children, and men aged 10 to 69. Among them are at least 16 boys aged 10 to 18, who were either working at the stores or shopping during the tragic event.
